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One source of support for Esteem's work is the Orlando business community. Monday is National Corporate Philanthropy Day, so designated by the U.S. secretary of commerce and the Committee to Encourage Corporate Philanthropy, a group of business leaders dedicated to increasing the impact of corporate giving."

MONTEREY, California -- Google's newly appointed philanthropy chief is rallying industry support for an ambitious plan to create a global early warning system aimed at identifying and preventing the spread of infectious diseases, and other disasters.

Larry Brilliant, appointed Tuesday as executive director of Google's new philanthropic organization, is expected to announce the project Thursday at the Technology, Entertainment and Design, or TED, conference here."

With five days left, THE DECATUR DAILY's annual Meals on Wheels fundraiser trails last year's campaign by 74 percent.

The bottom of the ledger says that's 26,000 fewer dollars than last year, and the bottom line says that means fewer elderly and disabled residents of Morgan County will receive their weekday visits and warm meals. About 350 currently receive the meals."

Northern Kentucky University plans to start an institute to help the region's 6,000 nonprofit organizations better serve people.

The Non-Profit Capacity Building Institute will train staff members of organizations, give them good ideas and link them with consultants who can provide more help.

'We want to bring the university's energies and talents to nonprofit organizations to help them increase the impact they have on the community,' said Miles Wilson, director of NKU's Scripps Howard Center for Civic Engagement."

The themes of 18 Silicon Valley Charity Balls over 19 years involved adventure or glamour more often than nostalgia. But this week the ball itself joins orchards, prune yards and canneries as part of the valley's past. It's another rite of passage for a place that embodies change.

The charity ball's planners were right to end the tradition. But two decades was a healthy run.

The ball was conceived when Silicon Valley was giddy with new economic power but still grappling with its civic identity. The tech industry was generating enormous wealth but lacked the tradition of social responsibility typical of older companies in San Francisco and in rust belt cities of the East and Midwest. The charity ball founders saw it as a way to stimulate civic engagement while raising money."

Laidlaw, who has almost single-handedly kept the Scottish Conservatives afloat since 1997, is to help to finance a number of productions over at least two seasons at the Coliseum in London’s West End.

His intervention will be a huge relief to the opera company, which has been beset by a wave of financial and managerial problems.

In the past three months ENO has lost its chairman, Martin Smith, its chief executive, Sean Doran, and its music director, Oleg Caetani, who resigned before he had even started. Last month the company was threatened with a strike by staff."

Billy Mills, a South Dakota native who won an Olympic gold medal in 1964, will be honored by Christian Relief Service Charities in April, organizers said.

Mills, an enrolled member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, is scheduled to attend a reception April 22 at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C., and receive a humanitarian award from the organization, officials said."

Hospitals that raise funds for new equipment or other projects frequently overlook two groups closest to them: doctors and nurses.

That's according to a new study by Corporate DevelopMint, the Charleston-based fundraising consultant that specializes in hospital fundraisers. The company released the results last week at its annual Healthcare CEO Forum on Philanthropy.

The study found that there is no relationship between gifts from doctors and the success of a hospital fundraiser. Nor is there a relationship between gifts from nurses and other workers and fundraising success.

The Slate 60 attempts to fuse two essential but conflicting aspects of the American character: generosity and competitiveness. So, it's not surprising that the inspiration for the list came from a man rich in both qualities, Ted Turner. In 1996, Slate editor Michael Kinsley was struck by remarks Turner made in an interview with Maureen Dowd: The CNN founder bemoaned the influence of the Forbes 400 list of richest Americans, saying it discouraged the wealthy from giving away their money for fear of slipping down the rankings. Turner suggested that a list of charitable contributions could inspire rich Americans to compete in a more beneficial way."

It really is hard to imagine Minnesota Public Radio as a nonprofit corporation in the true sense of the term ('MPR disputing funding's terms,' Feb. 15). President and CEO William Kling, a wily media mogul, has established a lavish statewide public radio monopoly under the auspices of nonprofit trappings, all the while asking for public (read: taxpayer) monies.

So it comes as no surprise that MPR is disputing funding terms associated with a state appropriation of $380,000. Why reveal all MPR salaries in excess of $100,000 when MPR already has revealed on its 2004 tax return that the 12 highest-paid salaries are in excess of $100,000? Especially during a fund drive?"

Powered by Topix.netBy Jeff Swiatekjeff.swiatek@indystar.comA vicious hurricane that battered New Orleans and other natural disasters spurred Eli Lilly and Co. to give a record $511 million in philanthropic donations last year.

The Indianapolis drug maker, which has a policy of trying to be among the top 10 largest U.S. corporate givers of philanthropic aid every year, said it contributed $58 million in cash and $453 million in drug products last year, as it tried to respond to several global tragedies and growing demand from low-income Americans for free or discounted drugs."

February 21, 2006- The Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund gave $846 million in grants last year, setting a new record and signaling a strengthening market. The fund also received 21% more donations last year compared with giving in 2004. 'These milestones reflect the continued generosity of our donors and demonstrate how donor-advised funds continue to bring more individuals to philanthropy by making giving simpler and more effective,' said David Giunta, president of the 15-year old fund. Fidelity cited the spate of natural disasters in 2005 as a cause for the spike in donations, and also announced 10% increase in the number of organizations nominated for grants."

Famous Yamaha grand will be sold to raise funds for star's Aids charityRobert Jaques, vnunet.com 22 Feb 2006

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Sir Elton John has placed one of his most famous pianos up for auction on eBay to raise funds for the Aids charity which he founded.

The iconic Yamaha DC6A Pro digital acoustic 6ft 11in grand piano, played by the star at a variety of special events surrounding his hit shows in Las Vegas, will be sold off to support the Elton John Aids Foundation.

The famous grand piano, nicknamed 'Fiona', was on display in the Colosseum Lobby at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas."

A small group of nonprofit service organizations are worried that Richmond is overrun with, um, nonprofit service organizations. There are just too many, some leaders in this group say. It’s creating an environment that leaves organizations with similar missions to fight for money as federal funding shrinks and shrinks. Yet more nonprofits keep sprouting to address needs that aren’t being met, observes Reggie Gordon, executive director of the William Byrd Community House in Oregon Hill. Something’s gotta give."

The words are so far apart on the spectrum that even Rutgers University student Amina Moghul, a Muslim, couldn't fathom the idea of pairing the staid principles of Islam with an American institution known more for its social graces than religious devotion.

But as an emerging generation of American-born Muslim women seeks to assert itself and its cultural identity, the concept is not so far-fetched.

In fact, through Gamma Gamma Chi, the nation's first Islam-based sorority, takes shape at several universities across the country, it has become a reality."

Kirov presents smooth 'Parsifal' - baltimoresun.com: "One name you won't find on the programs for the Kirov Opera's Kennedy Center residency this year -- the fourth in a decade-long association -- is Alberto Vilar, the one-time billionaire money manager and super-philanthropist who pledged tens of millions to arts organizations around the world.

The Kirov deal is just one of many projects that Vilar did not fully fund, even before his arrest last year on various fraud charges. Gergiev was one of only a handful of Vilar beneficiaries to come to his aid, contributing $500,000 toward his bail."

DMNews.com | News | Article: "Here’s a prediction: Next year, some fundraising organizations will look back on 2006 with disappointment, specifically in terms of net revenue gains. But others will see increases and be pleased. The key challenges for the year? Continued increases in costs of acquiring new donors, driven in part by paper and postage. And, yes, donor fatigue is an issue. Legislation aimed at protecting individual privacy also is a challenge."

Opinion - StatesmanJournal.com: "Kroc center needs your support now and laterWithout pledges, Salem area could be denied project grantFebruary 23, 2006The Salem area is this close to landing $60 million to build and operate a Kroc community center.Supporters have demonstrated that this area's need is great and that their vision is strong. Now, one hurdle remains: persuading the Salvation Army's decision-makers that this community will support the center's operation above and beyond the generous grant.That must happen soon -- within the next few weeks. A final proposal is due at regional headquarters by April 3."